You Won't Believe What Happened at the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026—This Shocking Winner Redefined Food & Lifestyle!

An unforgettable evening in Mumbai recently celebrated the innovators transforming India’s culinary and lifestyle landscape at the fourth edition of the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026. Hosted at the prestigious Taj Santacruz, the event recognized excellence, creativity, and innovation across diverse categories, further solidifying its status as one of the most credible industry awards in India.

This year's theme, ‘Redefining Excellence’, spotlighted avant-garde restaurants, bars, cafés, spirit brands, hospitality concepts, and content creators who are reshaping the cultural and culinary scene in the country. The evening was graced by a distinguished gathering of industry stalwarts, creative leaders, and cultural icons, including notable personalities from the entertainment realm such as Shalini Pandey, Madhurima Tuli, Karan Tacker, Avneet Kaur, Harleen Sethi, and Armaan Jain, who added a touch of glamour to the celebrations.

During the ceremony, awards were presented to the finest talents in the culinary world, acknowledging their craft, consistency, and innovation. The event was powered by a distinguished jury featuring veteran food critic Rashmi Uday Singh, restaurateur AD Singh, acclaimed chefs Doma Wang, Rahul Akerkar, Ajay Chopra, Karishma Sakhrani, food historian Sadaf Hussain, and food writers Priya Ganapathy and Rukshana Kapadia, along with mixologist Nitin Tewari. With their diverse expertise, the panel ensured that each winner was selected based on quality, originality, and cultural significance.

Commenting on the event, Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer of ZEEL & Zee5, stated, “At ZEE, we believe excellence deserves a platform as expansive as its impact. With Zee Zest Unlimit Awards – Redefining Excellence, we are leveraging our omni-channel network across TV, OTT, web, and social to spotlight culinary trailblazers and honor these visionaries whose passion, innovation, and dedication are evolving the gastronomic culture of India.”

Alenkar Pathare, Business Head of Zee Zest & Youth, added, “India’s food and lifestyle landscape is experiencing a dynamic shift, led by a new wave of entrepreneurs, creators, and hospitality leaders who are redefining the contours of consumer experience. The Zee Zest Unlimit Awards celebrates this spirit of innovation and enterprise, recognizing individuals and brands that are shaping fresh narratives and encouraging the industry to push the boundaries of creativity and possibility.”

A standout highlight of the evening was a high-energy performance by the renowned Indian rock band Agnee, which infused the celebration with vibrant energy, while popular stand-up comedian Prashasti Singh kept the audience entertained with a relentless laughter riot.

Continuing its tradition of honoring excellence, the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 reaffirmed Zee Zest’s commitment to highlighting the innovation that shapes India’s evolving food, travel, and lifestyle narratives. The event was co-presented by L'Oréal Paris, co-powered by SR Queens, and had special partnerships with Rajesh Masala, Wild Stone (fragrance partner), Hell Energy Drink (energy drink partner), and Dhananjay Foods (associate sponsor).

Mark your calendars to catch the telecast of the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 on March 29 on Zee Zest SD and HD, and streaming on Zee5.

The distinguished winners of the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 are as follows:

• BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT: Naru Noodle Bar, Bengaluru
• BEST LUXURY DINING RESTAURANT: The Table, Mumbai
• BEST REGIONAL INDIAN RESTAURANT: Amar Khamar, Kolkata
• BEST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT: Avatara, Mumbai
• BEST CAFÉ: Cafe Lento, Goa
• BEST NEW RESTAURANT: SoBo 20, Mumbai
• BEST EUROPEAN RESTAURANT: La Panthera, Mumbai
• BEST IN DESSERT: Lick, Bengaluru
• BEST SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANT: Dakshin at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
• BEST DESIGNED RESTAURANT: The Sarvato, Jaipur
• BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT: Wabi Sabi at The Oberoi, Bengaluru
• BEST THAI RESTAURANT: Khao Man Gai by Seefah, Mumbai
• BEST COCKTAIL BAR: Bar Spirit Forward, Bengaluru
• BEST INDIAN WHISKY: Amrut Expedition
• BEST INDIAN CRAFT GIN: Cherrapunji
• BEST DESIGNED COCKTAIL BAR: Boilermaker, Goa
• BEST INDIGENOUS SPIRIT: Six Brothers Mahura
• BEST INDIAN RUM: Pipa Rum
• CHEF OF THE YEAR (Male): Gresham Fernandes, Bandra Born, Mumbai
• CHEF OF THE YEAR (Female): Koyel Roy Nandy, Rannaghor by Sienna Calcutta
• PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR: Vinesh Johny, Lavonne, India
• RISING CHEF OF THE YEAR: Juhi Punwani, Amar Khamar, Kolkata
• RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR: Gauri Devidayal
• MIXOLOGIST OF THE YEAR: Jeet Rana, Barbet & Pals, New Delhi
• UNLIMIT ICON: Chef Manish Mehrotra
• UNLIMIT ICONIC MUSIC BAND AWARD: AGNEE
• BEST CLOUD KITCHEN: The Junglee Kitchen by Armaan Jain
• ICONIC RESTAURANT: Crystal Restaurant, Mumbai
• BEST NEW AGE BEVERAGE BRAND: HELL ENERGY DRINK
• UNLIMIT OTT BREAKTHROUGH STAR AWARD: Harleen Sethi
• UNLIMIT DYNAMIC PERFORMER AWARD: Madhurima Tuli
• BEST FIRE-LED CULINARY CONCEPT: HOM, Mumbai
• UNLIMIT IMPACTFUL SCREEN PRESENCE AWARD: Karan Tacker
• UNLIMIT PROMISING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Avneet Kaur
• UNLIMIT EMERGING TALENT AWARD: Shalini Pandey

This vibrant celebration of creativity and cultural influence marks a significant moment in the evolving landscape of India's food and lifestyle sectors, making it an event to watch in the years to come.